Christmas and Eve

Yesterday and today were certainly no disappointment. We went to Bud and Mavis's for dinner and many MANY cookies and sweets, we carolled, we heard two Christmas stories, and we opened gifts. The gift exchange really fun. I was quite happy with my gifts from Nate (R is for Ricochet and S is for Silence, plus a sweet book light that doubles as a deep-sea fish costume - hopefully I'll get a picture of that in here soon...) . I was bummed I didn't get to see cousin Amy open her gift from me, but oh well. I was made confident that she'd appreciate my gift of hand-knit socks (that are a bit too bulky, therefore are more like slippers...), when she gave cousin Chelsea a toaster (which was on her list) and then homemade bread to toast in it, and then a variety of cheeses to put on her toast!

Chelsea and I had way to much fun. Separation of the two of us was threatened by both her husband and mother, but we just kept goofing off - what a good time! Matt and her husband Tom get along really well.....and all the men were gathered around the tiny television to watch the end of a Seahawks game (which they lost, stupidly...again) at the beginning of the evening. It was generally a nice time, and I really enjoyed being part of the Carlson Family traditions. I even tried Rosalie's pickled watermelon....though I did not work up the nerve to try the pickled herring...maybe in two years when we're back for Christmas!


Today, Christmas Day, was also really great. Matt and I were awoken around 8AM to learn how to make turkey and stuffing (we'd asked, for future Thanksgiving reference). Then we all hung out and went through our stockings and opened gifts. There were definitely some good ones! Matt got two sets of tools that are nearly identical (oops...) and a second biography of Alfred Tarski (oops again!). He also got some sweet boots for wet weather! We also both got an ornament from the Carlsons and a traditional silver Nieman Marcus Orb from the Daniels with "Christmas 2006" etched in it. We'll count on filling a tree with new ornaments each year...if we ever decide to get a tree...hmmm...

Anyway, I got an adorable night shirt (in green!), and an iPod docking station-plus-stereo-plus-DVD-player-plus-AM/FM-radio-plus-CD-player....thing! sweet! I also have money to go buy myself something fun- a raincoat other than the purple and plaid attrocity I've had since I was 16 perhaps? Oh my G-d, that reminds me...I'm about to be 26. And I'm totally freaked out about it. ACK!

Ok, cheers!
Brea (I'm giving up all pretention that Matt is participating in this Blog and will, instead, link to his very own philosophy blog :-))